Page 120 of Touch of Class

This time when Gillian kissed her again, rolling her onto her back and pressing her into the mattress where it had all begun, Daphne had no more inclination to question. Somehow, hearing this woman admit she didn’t have all the answers had been exactly the answer she’d needed in order to find her own.

Gillian must have dozed off in Daphne’s arms again. This was becoming a habit, one she was not inclined to break, only this time when she opened her eyes, the room wasn’t completely dark, nor was it completely quiet.

“Her car’s parked outside. It wasn’t here earlier,” Brooke’s voice carried down the hall.

“But her office is still closed,” Tegan replied.

“Daphne’s is open,” Robin added.

Gillian’s whole body tensed, one step ahead of her brain. Grabbing the comforter, she pulled it over both of them, startling Daphne awake right as her friends stuck their heads into the room.

Everyone froze, and, for a second, Gillian prayed if they lay completely still, they might not be able to see them under the covers in the dim light.

That absurd notion evaporated when Robin broke first. “Oh, hell yes!”

Daphne buried her head in the crook of Gillian’s arm. “All that talk about locking the front door didn’t account for some people having keys.”

Gillian sighed as everything in her seemed to liquify, as if she might melt from the horror of it all before muttering. “There’s no policy for this. None at all.”

Still, her friends and colleagues stood in the doorway, seemingly too shocked to process this any better than she.

“What a great opportunity to practice your new favorite coping skill,” Daphne whispered.

She could barely process the comment, what with her brain on fire, but after a few seconds, she remembered her commitment to not freaking out and almost laughed. The universe had a sick sense of humor to test her resolve so thoroughly so quickly.

“Should we …” Brooke seemed to be trying to do her own coping. “I think … how about we step out for a moment and give all of ourselves a moment to collect … ourselves?”

“I’m fine.” Sawyer grinned, then stooped down to pick Gillian’s sweater off the floor. “But if these two need a moment to collect their clothing, I’ll allow it.”

“Yeah.” Tegan caught Robin by the arm and pulled her back. “Everyone can collect whatever they need to, and we’ll meet in the waiting room.”

“Take your time,” Brooke added as she shut the door behind her.

“Oh my God.” Daphne placed a hand squarely on Gillian’s chest. “Are you okay? Are you breathing?”

“Yes to the breathing. Jury’s still out on the ‘okay’ part.”

“How’s the not-freaking-out holding up?”

“Tentative.” She glanced around the room, trying to anchor herself to the present, then did a quick inventory. Her pulse was elevated and her shoulders knotted, but she was able to clench and unclench her fists and jaw. She rolled her head from side to side, then sat up slowly. “Okay, I’m moving. I have control of my muscles. I’m getting oxygen. I’m functioning physically. Now I need to get my mental faculties back online.”

Daphne sat up next to her. “You’re doing great.”

Outside the door, voices rose indistinctly before someone shushed everyone loudly enough to be heard through the walls. Then everything fell silent again.

“Do you think they know about the no-freaking-out policy?” Daphne stage-whispered.

Gillian’s lips quirked up. “I may have to go explain it, along with several other things.”

“I believe in you.” Daphne kissed her cheek. “You’ve got this.”

Gillian started to object, but the words didn’t come. Turns out, she believed in herself, too. This was going to be awkward, but she had a feeling she’d already survived the worst of it.

Climbing out of bed, she pieced her outfit back together and straightened her wrinkled clothes as best she could before taking a few deep breaths, while Daphne did the same. Then taking her hand and giving it a squeeze of assurance, they stepped across the hall into the waiting room.

Her friends were doing a terrible job of acting casual, but at least Brooke had managed to put on a pot of coffee. Tegan sat in a chair looking everywhere but directly at her, while Sawyer and Robin sat on the desk together, appearing like they were using every combined resource between them not to cackle.

“Okay.” Gillian lifted her chin. “So, I’m sure there are questions.”